


A New Page

by flintwoodandco



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Flintwood, Fluff and Angst, Fred Lives, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Quidditch, Roommates, tagging it just to be safe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-13 14:42:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9128200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flintwoodandco/pseuds/flintwoodandco
Summary: Oliver needs to find a new place to live and a friend of a friend of a friend knows exactly who to ask





	

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to mxrcusflint!!!

When Oliver tells Angelina he needs to move, she immediately asks Ginny if she knows of anyone looking for a roommate. To both of their disappointment, Ginny does not, but Ginny has her connections and gets in touch with a friend of hers. Koto Takeda of the Montrose Magpies sets her sight on a very specific teammate and approaches him at the end of practice.

“You’ve been looking for a roommate,” she states and gauges him through her bangs as he hesitates.

“Yes?” Marcus responds, a little fearful if Koto says so herself. 

“Good,” she nods. “Because I’ve got someone for you. Oliver Wood, Puddlemere. But you know those details. How much will you charge him?”

Marcus balks at this, his mouth trying to form some coherent words as his face scrunches up. “I-I haven’t agreed to anything yet!”

“But you will.” 

Koto crosses her arms, giving him her signature glare that strikes fear in many. Marcus is no exception and he purses his lips together as she keeps her eyes on him. She is not oblivious to Marcus’ wandering gaze after they finish games with Puddlemere and is a bit fed up with Marcus’ lack of trying. 

“A quarter of rent,” Marcus mumbles, pushing past her into the locker room.

Koto’s face lights up even if Marcus can’t see it because he’s just made an offer that she knows Oliver can’t refuse. She’s seen Marcus’ place and if anything, Oliver should be paying just as much as Marcus is. Koto shakes off these details, sending an owl to Ginny as soon as possible.

~

“Oh, I have to be here for this!” George beams when Angelina confesses her doubts on the whole situation. 

“George,” she sighs, rubbing her forehead. “Oliver cannot, I repeat, cannot live with Flint. They’ll have each other dead within the first week!”

Fred and Lee emerge from the kitchen, each with a smirk on their face. 

“But Flint offered if you really think about it,” Fred says around his mouthful of food. “He’s charging Oliver hardly anything and their teams are on different practicing schedules.”

“Exactly,” George points at his brother. “They’ll probably have no run-ins and if they do, all that has to happen is a grunt of acknowledgement and barricading themselves in their rooms. That and we can pull a few pranks on Flint as well.”

“Not the point,” Angelina mumbles, flipping through the pictures Ginny sent her. 

The place is beyond lavish, hardwood floors, spacious rooms, a sunken bathtub, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a bit envious. 

“Oliver’s lease is up next month. He needs a place,” Lee gently bumps in as he glances at the pictures over Angelina’s shoulder.

With a groan, Angelina take a long drink from her glass before contacting Oliver, telling him to meet up before the night is over. 

~

Oliver blinks at his friends, waiting for one of them to say it’s all a big joke. But nothing comes and Oliver drags himself back to his current plane of existence.

“I-” he stops, his mind frantically thinking of all the consequences. 

“A quarter of rent,” Fred helpfully supplies. 

“Your own bedroom,” George nods. 

“Easy access to practice,” Ginny adds and nudges the pictures towards Oliver again.

Feeling more unsettled by the second, Oliver wipes his hands on his trousers, trying to focus.

“Look, Oliver,” Angelina steps in. “I know it isn’t the most ideal situation-” Oliver lets out a cynical laugh before Angelina continues on. “-but it’s all we’ve got right now. I’m going to keep searching, I promise.”

Resting his head on one hand, Oliver moves the pictures around to analyze everything again. Besides the fact that it’s Marcus, everything is perfect. He’d jump on the chance if it were almost anyone else, but a bitter taste has overtaken his mouth.

“I’ll keep Flint in line,” Koto says from her spot near the fireplace. “He’s been looking for a roommate for months.”

Oliver has no doubts Koto will give Marcus a run for his money, but it’s not that. Really, he’s afraid. While Marcus’ attitude has improved, he’s still a brute in Oliver’s mind and he’s not ready to bridge that gap into friendship. Friendship would mean actually liking Marcus. Oliver is pretty sure he swore himself to not do that back at Hogwarts and already he’s teetering on his promise. 

With a deep breath, Oliver tries to focus on the good and makes what feels like the worst decision of his life.

~

On the day Oliver moves in, Marcus is more nervous than he’s ever been in his life. He spent the entire night making the place as clean as possible and now he can’t sit still. He switches between his bedroom and the living room, eyeing the door each time as if that will make Oliver appear. 

Glancing at the clock again, Marcus wishes time would just speed up and with this thought, he hears voices echoing outside the door. Marcus groans on learning that Oliver hasn’t come alone, frantically thinking if there’s anything he needs to hide. 

He freezes in the hall as he listens to Oliver attempt to unlock the door, or at least Marcus assumes that’s what he’s doing because it takes Oliver an absurd amount of time to open it. Finally, Oliver practically crashes through, a large box in his hands and a crowd behind him. Marcus watches from his spot as the former Gryffindor Quidditch team barges in along with a few other familiar faces like the Chosen One himself and company. 

“Oh my gosh, you’re living here, Oliver?” Alicia gapes and races into the kitchen before Marcus can say anything. 

So many people disperse, checking out all they can until it’s just Marcus and Oliver in the hallway. Marcus reels for a moment, only bringing his attention back when Oliver shifts in front of him.

“Uh, sorry about that.” Oliver’s face is an alarming shade of red. Marcus tries to not think too much about it, already overwhelmed with the amount of people in the place.

After a squeal from who he assumes in Katie in the bathroom, Marcus leads the way to Oliver’s bedroom and he scowls knowing all his hard work of cleaning is spinning down the drain.

“Oh wow,” Oliver breathes as they enter the unused bedroom and Marcus raises an eyebrow.

It isn’t anything special for Marcus, but the room does include a walk-in closet as well as a desk and he figures he shouldn’t be so quick to judge. He doesn’t know where Oliver has come from after all.

“Sorry,” Oliver coughs, setting down his box on a dresser. “It’s just so much bigger than the pictures suggested.”

Marcus doesn’t know what to say, so he nods and pulls back the curtain to let the light into the room. A smile splits itself onto Oliver’s face at the sight of the city and Marcus ignores the way his heart skips a beat 

“The room’s got a spell so you can customize it to look however you like,” Marcus starts explaining as Oliver plasters himself against the glass. “Everything in the room is enchanted.”

“Brilliant,” Oliver turns away from the view, his face bright and eager. 

It amuses Marcus so much that he has to ask about it. “You seem cheerful?”

“Oh,” Backing up from the window, Oliver runs a hand through his hair. “Nerves.”

Marcus lets out a small ‘hmm’, turning back to the door to help get Oliver’s other belongings in. 

“I mean…”

It’s just enough for Marcus to come back to where Oliver is standing to hear what he has to say.

“I’m still not entirely sure about this, but everyone’s been reassuring me, plus the place is beautiful so I can’t stay that bitter.”

The answer is agreeable enough for Marcus. He nods before exiting the room, only slightly surprised to hear Oliver following after. 

Once back in the hallway, Marcus is reminded of who’s still in the place and sighs. Fred and George come out of his bedroom, snickering to each other, and Marcus makes a note to cast a few spells before entering again. As he passes by the other rooms, he sees that the Golden Trio have situated themselves on the couch in the living room while everyone else has taken to raiding the kitchen cupboards.

“Guys,” Oliver warns and Marcus can’t help grinning as the former team freezes at Oliver’s captain voice. 

“It’s fine,” Marcus waves, surprising everyone there. 

Outside the apartment, there’s a lot less boxes than Marcus expects, but he uses his wand to levitate them inside anyways, both him and Oliver up against the wall as the boxes past by. 

Marcus glances at Oliver next to him and slowly sees a more relaxed man coming through. Excited by this new development, Marcus makes an offer to help Oliver unpack but Oliver whips out his own wand, so Marcus is dragged into the kitchen by Koto, who insists on drinks for everyone. After explaining there isn’t enough alcohol, Marcus finally lets her do what she wants and finds himself surrounded by Gryffindors (save for Koto). He catches Oliver’s eyes only for a moment, but it’s enough to make Marcus down his shot and let the alcohol course through him.

~

With his friends gone, Oliver admits the atmosphere is stiff. He stays in his room for the night and only occasionally listens in to Marcus padding up and down the hallway. While he still has his apprehensions, the mood from earlier made it seem like they had been old friends. It was a nice but tentative feeling. 

Oliver sighs and falls back onto his bed, taking in the room that’s now customized to him. Puddlemere banners amongst neutral tones, it already feels like home with the faint illumination from city lights. He’s still unsure about sharing a bathroom with Marcus, but that thought is miniscule compared to everything else. Rivals living together, no one had ever heard such a thing. At least, Oliver hadn’t. 

Deep down, he feels like he should despise this, insist that Angelina puts him elsewhere. Instead, he’s calm and approaching this with rationality that he never had when he saw Marcus at Hogwarts. Perhaps being older changed things or Oliver is just too tired to think about it. He can’t decide. 

He’s thankful Marcus doesn’t try to start any more conversation and he tries to get an early night to be refreshed for practice tomorrow. As he’s lying in bed, Oliver is sure he can hear Marcus humming in the kitchen and the last thing he remembers is the sound of Marcus’ voice.

~

The following weeks are a bit awkward as Oliver and Marcus have more run-ins than expected. Neither know how to react, bumping into each other in the hallway, quickly leaving a room when the other enters. It’s a little childish, but Oliver still feels a bit of that former rivalry from Hogwarts. 

Not only that but Oliver hasn’t missed the mark that stains Marcus’ left arm. He knew Marcus had become part of the Dark Lord’s army, but to see it in the flesh makes Oliver shiver. He’s been on the receiving end of a curse or two and he becomes nauseous when Marcus has the skin exposed. Their conversations dry up, resulting in Oliver hiding in his room again if only to forget. 

The nightmares come often though and while Oliver can get through most of them, he cannot tonight. A boom of thunder causes him to fall off the bed, his wand already tight in his hand. His breathing is ragged and it takes several breaths for him to realize he’s far from any battlefield. He shields his eyes when a flash of lightning illuminates his room, sighing as he pushes himself up to his feet. He’d give anything to forget, but right now his mouth is dry and he leaves his room in search of water. 

In the kitchen, Oliver downs two glasses and takes to staring at the fireplace in the living room, still going strong with magic. He becomes so lost in the flames that he almost misses the movement in the hallway, jumping at the sight of Marcus followed by a thunderclap. He stares at his raised hand, wand pointed at Marcus, before setting the object firmly down on the countertop.

“Sorry,” Oliver mumbles out as Marcus takes a small step forward.

“Happens to the best of us.”

Oliver can’t help watching as Marcus gets his own glass of water, the man drinking it in deep gulps before heading over to the living room. Marcus plops himself on the couch and Oliver doesn’t know if he’s meant to follow. He lets his feet lead him, taking a seat next to Marcus as they stare into the fire. The rain is coming down with such ferocity, Oliver wonders how bad the game will be tomorrow.

“We’ll be fine,” Marcus comments and it’s then Oliver remembers he’s playing against Marcus at this next game.

With a nod, Oliver folds his hands in his lap, listening to the rain and crackling fire. 

“I used to love thunderstorms,” Marcus breathes out. “But after the war...I can’t even sleep through a simple sprinkling of rain.”

Oliver looks at Marcus, his eyes trailing up and down the man’s form. He can see the mark again, but he pushes away the gut-wrenching feeling, trying to think of a proper response. 

“The war was hard on all of us.”

Marcus takes his time to meet Oliver’s gaze and when gray meets brown, Marcus swallows. “I’m sorry for what we put you through.”

Oliver falters at this. Marcus Flint is apologizing for something he didn’t even do. Marcus didn’t Crucio him, hell, he’s pretty sure the one reason Marcus is free is because he never took a life. The apology leaves Oliver conflicted and he tries to avoid accepting it. 

“You didn’t-” he tries to get out but Marcus cuts in.

“I was still a part of it. I let them follow through with their plans.” The anger is growing in Marcus’ voice and Oliver doesn’t know how to stop it. “If I hadn’t been so selfish or if I had been stronger, smarter, I could’ve done...something.”

Marcus’ voice cracks at the last part, his eyes snapping shut. Oliver is at a loss, seeing Marcus so vulnerable, trying to calm himself down. He doesn’t want to say anything, but opens his mouth anyways. 

“It’s over now, Marcus.” Oliver winces slightly at the bluntness of his comment. “What I mean is, what’s done is done. We can only move on and get better.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Marcus throws his hands up. “You’ve got all your friends and family to help you.”

Oliver’s body grows hot at this. Yes, he’s been fortunate to have the support he does, but that didn’t take away the feeling of Colin in his arms. It doesn’t change the fact that he can’t sleep without a wand next to him for fear of an ambush that won’t happen. 

“You’re ignorant if you feel that way,” Oliver states coldly, ignoring Marcus’ glare to look at the fire again. “This is always going to be a part of us. All of us, no matter who we have or what we do.”

While the storm outside has quelled, a new one has started between Marcus and Oliver. Each pop and hiss from the burning wood sets Oliver’s teeth on edge and he has to leave before anything else can happen. 

“Stop dwelling in the past, Marcus,” Oliver comments as he leaves the room. “It’s not fitting for you.”

~

The game against the Magpies is brutal, but Puddlemere comes out victorious. Of course, it’s only a small victory as the Magpies still have the lead in league wins. Nonetheless, Oliver feels proud and embraces the heat of the shower, washing off the mud and rain earned from the game. Marcus was as brutal as ever, most likely fueled by the events of the night before and Oliver made his point by slamming into Marcus every chance he got. 

He winces when his fingers press into a new bruise, making a note to keep an eye on it lest his captain make a big fuss. After standing under the water for what feels like an hour, Oliver reluctantly climbs out, wrapping a towel around his waist while rubbing another on his hair. 

When he reaches his locker, he is surprised to see Marcus there, still in his uniform and shivering. 

“Marcus,” Oliver says, concerned at first and then he wrinkles his brows. “What do you want?”

Marcus sighs, crossing his arms in front of him. He avoids looking in Oliver’s eyes as water drips from his hair. “You played well today.”

Oliver rolls his eyes at this, knowing Marcus is here for another reason. He motions Marcus to get out of the way so he can at least get his clothes out of his locker and tries to avoid the puddles Marcus has made. 

“Look,” Marcus attempts to start again. Oliver looks at him over his shoulder, only straightening up once his clothes are pulled out. 

“Last night, what I said…” Marcus stops and Oliver can see him scrambling for his words. “I know it was stupid. I shouldn’t have thrown your experiences to the side. I’m just-I’m new to this.”

Oliver thinks he knows what Marcus means, but wants to hear it instead of playing this game. “New to what?”

Marcus’ frustration builds, but all Oliver notices is his shivering.

“Talking about the war. Having someone to talk to who actually has clear reasoning. Someone who wasn’t on the side I was on.”

Oliver’s shoulders sag at this, only imagining what it was like for Marcus to be a Death Eater. He wonders if Marcus had any choice in the matter, what kind of fears Marcus lived through. Despite being in the same war, their lives were entirely different and Oliver knows he can understand only so much. He shakes his head and places a hand on Marcus’ arm, giving it a small squeeze.

“Get in the shower, you’re going to freeze to death.”

“My clothes are in the other locker room,” Marcus jerks back, but only a little. 

“So, I’ll get them for you,” Oliver raises his eyebrows and he then shoves Marcus towards the showers.

Marcus, not expecting this, stumbles a bit before glaring at Oliver. Oliver knows he has the upper hand though and gives Marcus his old captain’s look.

“Go!” Oliver waves him off, letting out a short laugh when he sees how quickly Marcus then disappears. 

Oliver makes changing a quick process and after hearing the shower turn on, goes to the other locker room to get Marcus’ clothes. The rain has finally let up, which makes Oliver grimace because of course the day would do that, and he retrieves Marcus’ clothes. 

Marcus takes his time, but it gives Oliver a moment to think about the game and what he can do to prepare for the one against Kenmare. He leans back against the lockers, eyes closed and only partially listening to the sound of the shower. When Marcus emerges, Oliver takes a second to look over Marcus before politely turning around to give Marcus his privacy. He doesn’t wipe the image from his mind so quickly however and it repeats itself until Marcus taps his shoulder so they can go home.

~

There are no more incidents between Marcus and Oliver for a while, which Marcus is thankful for. Exposing so much of himself to Oliver was tiring and to just go back to the stiff meetings in the hallway is a godsend. Marcus notes how the visits from Oliver’s friends have increased dramatically, but he doesn’t say anything. It’s Oliver’s place too after all. 

When he hears the laughter from the kitchen, Marcus is struck with loneliness. His closest friends, Adrian and Terence left the country after the war and while they still write letters, it’s not the same as having them there. There are other Slytherins of course, but Marcus feels a sense of dread at contacting any of them and throws the idea away. 

Marcus tries to go back to his playbook, but the sounds, the scents of Oliver’s get-together is interrupting every thought and he can’t concentrate. Just as he throws the book to the side, there is a knock at his door causing Marcus to freeze.

“Uh, yeah?” he finally says, wondering what he’s done now. 

“It’s just me, Oliver.” The voice is slightly muffled by the thickness of the door. There is a nervous laugh before Oliver goes on. “I was wondering if you wanted to join us. The team and me that is. You don’t have to though.”

Marcus feels like he shouldn’t, but the idea of company, to simply listen in on a conversation seems heavenly. He slowly opens the door and peeks his head out. “You sure? I don’t want to ruin the spirit.”

Oliver laughs at this and pushes Marcus’ door open, grabbing Marcus’ sleeve. “It’ll be fine. I swear.”

Before Marcus can protest any more, Oliver is dragging him out of his room and into the kitchen.

“Flint!” Katie toasts and Marcus is in shock to hear her of all people saying his name so cheerfully. 

It’s the former Gryffindor team circled around the island in the kitchen and Marcus tries to not make eye contact. He feels invasive amongst the warm glow of everyone there. 

“What, no hug?” Fred grins and as everyone laughs, Marcus feels a smile come on as well.

“In your dreams, Weasley,” he jokes back, relishing in the slow feeling of belonging when Alicia hands him a wine glass. 

He can see Oliver dishing up something by the stove but his attention is caught by Harry asking him a question.

“So, what kind of training does your captain put you through?” 

With hesitation at first, Marcus slowly gets into the feel of casual talk as Oliver sets a plate spilling with food in front of him. Everyone seems genuinely interested and Marcus trails off, not used to being the center of attention like this. 

To his relief, Oliver makes a comment comparing all the teams and a new argument erupts on if Puddlemere will really take the top spot from the Magpies. Marcus holds his tongue, knowing Oliver’s relentless at this point, but enjoys watching everyone debate as he takes his sips of his wine. Occasionally, he gets in a word but the Weasley twins are full speed ahead and with the combination of Oliver, it’s like Hogwarts all over again. It’s a good kind of familiarity and Marcus loves it.

Eventually, the night wraps up and the team departs, all of them forcing Marcus into some kind of a hug before they leave. It’s just Marcus left in the kitchen now and he thinks of what to clean up first as Oliver shuts the door firmly.

“Always a wild lot,” Oliver grins surveying the kitchen as well. “I’ll take care of it, you can go to bed.”

It’s then Marcus realizes it’s fairly late, but he doesn’t mean to yawn at that moment. Oliver only chuckles at this, waving his wand at Marcus.

“Off to bed with you.”

If it were any other time, Marcus wouldn’t let himself be bossed around so easily, but his mattress does seem to be calling for him.

“Thanks...for inviting me.” A half-smile forms on his face and Oliver looks at him with what could only be described as contentement.

“It was fun, we should do this again.”

Marcus agrees and gives Oliver a nod before heading down the hallway, the weight on his shoulders feeling lighter than it had in months.

~

“Things are different between you and Flint,” Angelina comments as she and Oliver make their way through Diagon Alley. It had been a while since it was just the two of them and the time was much needed. 

“What do you mean?” Oliver asks in an attempt to play dumb. He’s well aware of the changes that have happened, but he’s still in denial over some of it.

Angelina sighs, giving Oliver a placid smile. “You’re happy with him.”

Oliver pauses mid-step at this, causing Angelina to come to a stop as well. She seems to be waiting for his response and Oliver can’t think of one beyond generic. 

All he does is shrug and mumble, “I guess,” before he starts walking again. 

Inviting Marcus to join in on the party had been a huge step for Oliver. He just didn’t want Marcus to be alone and seeing him smile like that brought joy Oliver never knew he had inside him. Marcus opening up, really being human, it was a good feeling.

“You’re in love,” Angelina teases, prodding Oliver’s side with a finger.

“It’s amazing how much you’re acting like George,” Oliver grimaces, trying to ignore Angelina’s words. “Scary in fact.”

“Being with someone for a long time does that to you, and you’re no exception,” Angelina bounces back, raising her eyebrows at Oliver. 

Oliver blushes, shoving his hands into his pockets and quickening his pace. 

“Oh, Ollie,” Angelina’s laugh rings in the street as she catches up to him. “I won’t tell a soul, not even George.”

Giving her an appreciative smile, Oliver finds himself thankful for Angelina’s friendship and brings her into the nearest cafe so they can talk about these new developments.

~

Marcus heaves himself off his bed as a strange looking owl taps his window. He didn’t even know owls could grow feathers like that and is apprehensive to let it in. He has no choice though as it shoots through the barely opened window, dropping a postcard in the process. 

With a frown, Marcus plucks the card from the floor and his face softens as he recognizes Adrian’s handwriting. He and Terence are having a wonderful time in Malaysia and they promise to be back to England soon. Marcus has his doubts about it, but is grateful his friends are keeping him updated. 

The hollowness that usually keeps itself at bay is sprouting full force inside Marcus as he just wants to talk to them. Talk about the Magpies, future plans, Oliver. Marcus closes his eyes at the thought of Oliver and tries to think of something else.

With a sigh, Marcus goes to set the postcard amongst the others and barely catches the P.S. from Adrian.

_Heard about your new roommate. Glad you guys finally sorted yourselves out._

Marcus’ eyebrows furrow as he tries to figure out what the hell Adrian means by that and shoves the card into the drawer. He was sure his attraction to Oliver hadn’t been that obvious, but even then, he knows Oliver doesn’t feel the same way. 

They couldn’t even be in the same room together at first and even now, they still avoid each other. Marcus has tried to talk, but he worries it’ll go back to that night where he fucked everything up. Sure, Oliver seemed to forgive him, but it continues to nag at the back of Marcus’ brain. 

Frustrated, Marcus goes in search for the strange owl, figuring he should set his sights on someone else before he makes a bigger mess out of things.

~

It had been a long day for Oliver and all he wants to do is collapse on his bed. He mutters his complaints as he climbs up the stairwell, his bag tugging on his shoulder. For some reason, he could not focus on practice tonight and it showed. Being kept behind was the last thing Oliver had wanted, as now, he’s arriving home much later than he had planned. When he reaches his floor, Oliver uses his last bit of strength to sprint to the door, throwing all of his weight on the surface as it flies open. 

“I’m home,” Oliver says to what he thinks is no one, but then notices all the lights that are on.

“Oh, hey,” Marcus peeks his head out from the kitchen and Oliver tries to ignore the embarrassment rising to his cheeks. “I’m making dinner for us.”

Oliver knows his eyes grow wide and he’s not sure if it’s because of food or the fact that Marcus is making dinner for them. Shoving his bag to the side, Oliver toes out of his shoes and tosses his jacket into his room before going into the kitchen. 

It’s as if Marcus is cooking for ten people, one pot stirring itself while the knife is chopping up vegetables on the other counter. Marcus himself is focused on a pan that’s frying something Oliver can’t identify and he watches with fascination.

“Do you need help?” Oliver manages out, ducking as a strainer goes by his head.

“Sorry,” Marcus grabs the item out of the air and then grins at Oliver. “If you want to pick out the wine?”

It’s an easy enough task and after thinking over the food items he has seen so far, Oliver chooses something a bit different, but classic enough to balance out the dinner. With the bottle in hand, Oliver moves his gaze from the label to just look at Marcus. It’s been months that they’ve been living together now and it feels good. Oliver sometimes can’t believe he had such trepidations at first. Marcus is not the same man he knew at Hogwarts, instead he sees complexity, life. A man he could truly spend more time with.

Even more than that, Oliver realizes that he doesn’t even flinch when he sees the mark anymore. He takes in the strength of Marcus’ arms, the sharp tones of his face. Marcus is handsome, Oliver isn’t going to deny that, and he thinks back to his conversation with Angelina a week ago. There might really be something, as Angelina had pointed out, but Oliver isn’t ready to act on it just yet.

He opens up the wine, pouring a glass for himself and Marcus before sitting at the island, watching intently as Marcus multitasks. Of course, it’s probably helpful that Marcus has his wand, but it still amazes Oliver. The smells engulf the room and Oliver keeps wanting the food more and more. After his stomach makes a particularly loud noise, Marcus announces everything is ready. 

It takes all of Oliver’s strength to not shovel it into his mouth, his thoughts deciding that maybe he should savor this moment with Marcus. The first bites are amazing though and Oliver tells Marcus as much.

“Thanks,” Marcus ducks his head a bit. “Figured cooking was something I should learn how to do and...well…”

“You should teach me,” Oliver says as he jabs his fork into the vegetables, then taking a moment to recalculate his decision. 

“Okay.” Marcus smiles as he takes a sip from his glass and Oliver can’t help doing the same. 

The evening continues on in a pleasant haze until Oliver finds himself on the couch with Marcus, another bottle of wine opened. The kitchen is somehow spotless and Oliver doesn’t remember any of that happening. The fireplace captures his attention easily, not to mention what wine does to him.

“It’s been nice living with you, I don’t know if I’ve ever said that.”

Oliver thinks this comes out of his own mouth, but when he sees Marcus staring at him, he’s not so sure. 

“Yeah, great,” Oliver blinks, hoping that’s a vague enough answer to cover all his bases. 

Marcus chuckles at this and sets his wine glass down on the coffee table. “Did you ever think we could be like this?”

Oliver snorts into his glass before taking a sip. “No, but it doesn’t mean I’m not thankful for it.” He grimaces at bit at his comment, blaming it on the wine.

“Same here,” Marcus sighs, his head tipping back a bit. 

Oliver takes this moment to study Marcus but he’s unable to focus on one part. So much of Marcus is clear cut, his physicality, his clothing, even his mind. But maybe not so much on that last bit. They’ve had their stale moments, the times of not understanding, but that seems to fade away. Oliver sets his glass down before he shifts a bit closer to Marcus, their legs barely touching. Marcus stops looking at the ceiling, furrowing his brows at Oliver, but remains in his position. 

“What?”

Oliver swallows, unable to respond. He can feel his mind questioning as well, but all he can really do is just look at Marcus. He positions himself so he’s a bit higher and then leans down, going at a rather slow pace. When Marcus doesn’t move, Oliver’s confidence builds and he lets his mouth stop just before Marcus’, giving him one last chance to leave. As their breaths mingle, Oliver is taken by surprise when Marcus grabs his head, pushing their lips together. 

It’s a bit sloppy for a first kiss, but Oliver finds he doesn’t mind at all as their tongues dart back and forth in each other’s mouths. He nibbles on Marcus’ tongue and takes the opportunity to climb onto Marcus’ lap. Marcus immediately grabs his hips while Oliver holds Marcus’ face in his hands, sucking on his bottom lip. 

Oliver’s not sure who pulls away first, but his body heats up at the look in Marcus’ eyes. For a moment, Oliver thinks they shouldn’t, that it would ruin everything. He thinks he sees Marcus go through the same turmoil as well, but before any words can be exchanged, Marcus stands up, lifting Oliver with him. 

Oliver wraps his legs around Marcus’ waist and then finds himself pushed up against the nearest wall, feral eyes staring up at him. Marcus bites down on Oliver’s neck before sucking intently and Oliver can’t help the small moan that leaves him as he balance himself out with his hands. Marcus grips his ass, pushing their forming erections together which Oliver honestly hadn’t noticed until now. 

Oliver is a bit embarrassed at how quickly he’s being turned on, but forgets all that when Marcus pulls them away from the wall, carrying Oliver to his bedroom. Once the threshold is crossed, Oliver is tipped back onto Marcus’ bed and it’s then he realizes he’s never really seen the inside of Marcus’ room. He can only make out the bare walls before Marcus is on top of him and his eyes go back to Marcus. 

Again, there is hesitation in Marcus’ face and Oliver decides to make the first move, practically tearing off of his top. Without warning, Marcus takes one of Oliver’s nipples into his mouth and Oliver squirms at the sensation. The swirling of Marcus tongue is overwhelming, but Oliver’s not sure if it’s in a way that’s amazing or odd. The hand at his waist makes quick work of distracting him however and Marcus pops the button on his jeans like nothing. Oliver writhes as Marcus pulls down the zipper, his body being engulfed by a swarm of emotions. He just wants more of Marcus and doesn’t care how he gets it. 

Oliver lifts his hips to gain more contact with Marcus’ skin but this only leads to his jeans and briefs being pulled off in one swift motion. Oliver chokes at the sudden action, automatically covering himself when Marcus pulls away from his chest. He’s usually not so shy about someone seeing his body but with Marcus, he feels nervous under the heated gaze. Marcus doesn’t say a word and strips out of his own clothing as if to reassure Oliver that whatever happens, it’s to the both of them. It calms Oliver down a little bit, but his breathing becomes sharp as Marcus hovers over him. 

In a way, it’s all too much. Marcus’ touch, the mere thought of what comes next, Oliver doesn’t know if he can handle it. He doesn’t dare look at Marcus, trying to ignore the shift of the bed as Marcus leans in. 

Marcus’ kiss is warm and gentle, and Oliver sighs into it, the fear slowly fading. When Marcus pulls away, he smiles, but Oliver doesn’t have a chance to return it. Marcus dives down, pushing Oliver’s legs apart and positioning himself between them.

Oliver gasps at Marcus kissing his inner thighs, his groin filling with desire as Marcus draws closer. He tangles a hand into Marcus hair while running the other down his own face, almost ready for Marcus to just take him then and there. He’s not sure if mistakes are being made tonight, but he’s pretty sure that doesn’t matter at this point. 

He’s brought back to reality when Marcus takes his cock into his mouth and Oliver lets out a startled moan. He guesses Marcus is grinning by the way his teeth graze along the length and Oliver really, really just wants to fuck Marcus’ mouth. 

However, Marcus seems to want to do things his own way and holds Oliver’s hips down on the bed as he licks and sucks Oliver’s cock in ways Oliver didn’t even know were possible. Oliver doesn’t hold back on his moans and he feels himself getting closer to his orgasm. Marcus’ mouth is so hot and perfect, Oliver tries to jerk his hips upwards, but Marcus’ hands are firm. 

Oliver is reeling over how Marcus works his tongue and it’s not long before his release spills into Marcus’ mouth, his back arching off the bed. He melts with the feeling of Marcus swallowing every last bit of him and stares at nothing, his breathing loud in his ears. Figuring he should return the favor, Oliver motions for Marcus to move up as he comes down from his high.

The look in Marcus’ eyes is so intense, Oliver thinks that maybe that’s all it would take for him to cum next time. He tries to return the same kind of ferocity, opening his mouth as Marcus climbs forward. 

Marcus whispers a ragged, “Fuck,” and positions himself on top of Oliver’s chest, his cock just barely at Oliver’s waiting mouth. Oliver can’t believe the needy sound that leaves him and he pushes himself up just enough to take in the head of Marcus’ cock. Marcus’ lewd moan makes up for it and Oliver lets Marcus take over to push more of his cock in. 

Oliver swirls his tongue around, making sure to drag it up Marcus’ length and can’t help the sense of pride he feels when Marcus shivers at this. They take it slow at first but then Marcus starts thrusting his cock in and out of Oliver’s mouth with fervor. Oliver’s sure he’s almost hard again as he sucks Marcus harshly, wanting nothing more than to taste all of him. This only urges Marcus on and his thrusts speed up, Oliver having to make sure Marcus doesn’t choke him. The hand holding his head up makes that difficult, but he manages to hold Marcus back just a little by gripping onto his hips. 

With Marcus repeating his name over and over, Oliver knows Marcus won’t last much longer and gives his cock another rough suck. It’s enough to send Marcus over the edge, so much so that Marcus pulls out of Oliver, his cum coating Oliver’s open mouth and his neck. Oliver tries to ignore his initial thought of how warm it is and licks his lips once, the faint taste of salty bitterness sitting on his tongue.

“Fuck, sorry,” Marcus mumbles, only taking a moment before grabbing his shirt to help clean Oliver off.

“It’s fine,” Oliver chuckles, letting out a huge sigh when Marcus is done. “That was...”

Marcus smirks and nods his head as he tosses the shirt to the side. “Yeah.”

Feeling spent, Oliver smiles appreciatively when Marcus pulls him into his arms, the covers being pulled over them. They’ll deal with whatever they have to in the morning, but right now, Oliver curls into Marcus and embraces this moment.

~

When Oliver wakes up, he stares at the ceiling above him, the events of last night speeding through his mind. He can feel Marcus’ arm around his waist and right away he feels uneasy. Yes, what they did felt amazing, but now they either had to move on in very awkward terms or become something more. Not that roommates with benefits is completely tossed out the window, but Oliver knows he’d just end up hurt in the end. 

As his mind buzzes, Oliver untangles himself from Marcus, who only makes a little protest at the loss of contact and picks up his clothes before going to his bedroom. In his own space, Oliver breathes a sigh of relief and throws his clothes into a basket before picking out new ones. 

Since it’s a day off for both of them, Oliver decides on being very lazy, throwing on sweatpants and a shirt before going into the kitchen. He starts making coffee, but his ears perk up at any noise, even the ones he makes himself. He knows he and Marcus will have to talk about this, but he’s not sure if he wants to hear what Marcus has to say. 

Just as the coffee’s finishing up, Oliver thinks he hears Marcus come down the hall and he stands by the island, waiting.

Marcus appears in the kitchen doorway with only a pair of shorts on, groggy as he leans in the doorway.

“Morning,” Oliver breaks the ice first and Marcus smiles.

“Morning.”

Oliver plays with the ties at his waistband and is thankful the coffee is ready, pouring him and Marcus a cup. He wordlessly hands it out to Marcus, who takes it, giving a nod of thanks.

“So-”

“About last night-”

They begin at the same time and try to laugh it off. Oliver grips the mug in his hands, letting Marcus take the lead. 

“I-uh, it was great, Oliver. You’re great, I mean, you probably already know that-” Marcus goes on, nervous and not knowing what direction he’s headed in. It doesn’t take long before Marcus clamps his mouth shut and he inhales deeply.

“Quidditch tabloids are ruthless.” 

Oliver’s no stranger to that, having an apparent ‘scandal’ himself a few years back and he nods. “What are you trying to say?”

Marcus’ eyes seem to darken, but he straightens himself up, looking at Oliver directly. “I don’t want us to stop.”

Oliver’s heartbeat quickens at this, but he takes a moment to really think about the situation. If they’re caught, it could mean being traded for the both of them. It might even lead to being kicked off, especially in Marcus’ case since there are still many unsympathetic towards former Death Eaters. Oliver needs to have Quidditch, but he wants Marcus so much. 

With a sigh, Oliver thinks about who he has on his side, his fingers drumming against the countertop. Of course, he points out to himself that if the tabloids haven’t found out about them living together yet, they might be able to slip by with this. Marcus stays quiet, but Oliver knows his mind is racing as well. 

“So,” Oliver begins softly. “That means we can’t do anything in the locker rooms, huh?”

To his relief, Marcus laughs at this before coming to Oliver’s side and taking him into his arms. “I think we can work something out.”

Oliver grins back, his hands resting on Marcus’ shoulders and it only takes one look before they kiss. It’s so unlike the kiss from last night, Oliver almost jerks his head away, but Marcus holds them together and Oliver relaxes into it. He wonders if Marcus has always been this good at kissing and his minds drifts away to other places it probably shouldn’t. When they finally pull back, Oliver feels the boldness creep up on him and he bites his lip before bringing their mouths together again, taking in all that is Marcus.

**Author's Note:**

> welp
> 
> [Tumblr](http://flintwoodandco.tumblr.com)


End file.
